Portable kerosene heater



Feb. 13, 1962 E. E. RANDMARK PORTABLE KEROSENE HEATER Original Filed June 2. 1952 five/afar fr/c f Fahd/77am 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 13, 1962 E. E. RANDMARK PORTABLE KEROSENE HEATER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed June 2. 1952 ArZ'Y United States Patent 3,020,906 PORTABLE KEROSENE HEATER Eric E. Randmark. Stockholm, Sweden, assignor to Victor J. Randmark, Rossford, Ohio Continuation of application Ser. No. 291,210, June 2, 1952. This application Jan. 18, 1961, Ser. No. 84,478 3 Claims. (Cl. 12659.5)

The present invention is a portable kerosene heater which is susceptible of a variety of uses but has special adaptation for use in structures, on land or water, during erection, to maintain suitable working temperatures and expediting dehydration of building walls and the like with a minimum of danger to the users.

This is a continuing application of my application Serial No. 291,210, now abandoned, filed June 2, 1952.

After much experimentation under actual working conditions I have been able to produce a heater fulfilling the objects of this invention, particularly in furnishing adequate heat in the specific location desired with emphasis laid on the safety factor to make the heater practically foolproof.

It is also within the contemplation of this invention to provide a heater which although portable, is so constructed and balanced that it cannot be accidentially knocked over, yet the chimney superstructure may be quickly removed for starting the heater.

A further object of the invention is to provide a burner which may be economically operated, without the emission of toxic gases, and in all places where an ordinary natural supply of oxygen is available.

A still further object of the invention is to include in the heater unit a safety shield for the fuel tank which is constructed and arranged to effect air circulation around the tank while the burner is in operation.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the presently preferred form of the invention, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable heater constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view through the fuel chamber of the burner taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the fire chamber; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the air regulator for the fuel chamber.

The device of the present invention consists of a portable heater unit including a base 10 which is adapted for mounting on a horizontal supportjthe base including an oblong bottom part 11 having a super-structure 12 issuing from one end thereof constituting a cradle for a fuel tank 13, the bottom of which is spaced from the bottom part 11 of the base and is also spaced from the top of the cradle 12. The fuel tank is provided with the usual fill opening in which a closure 14 is mounted. The bottom of the tank is provided with an outlet conduit 15 which extends beyond the inner side wall of the fuel tank and away from the cradle 12. The heater unit also includes a burner generally designated 16 which is mounted on the oblong part 11 of the base in parallel relation to the tank 13. The burner embodies a fuel chamber 17 which is in communication with the tank 13 through a pipe 18 which is connected to and in communication with the fuel tank conduit 15. The fuel chamber 17 consists of a circular body portion 19, a portion of the wall of which is open and extended to provide an elongated housing which is 3,020,905 Patented Feb. 13, 1962 in communication with the chamber 17 and forms a part of the fuel chamber as well as an ignition zone. The bottom of the housing 20 is coplanar with the bottom of the body portion 19 of the chamber while the top or roof 20' of the housing falls short of the top of said body portion 19 and is preferably slanted as advantageously illustrated in FIG. 2. The slanted roof of the housing 20 is provided with an air inlet opening 21 arranged near the closed outer terminal of the housing 20 as also illustrated to advantage in FIG. 2. The opening 21 is substantially funnel shape and may be completely or partly closed by a slide regulator 22 which is slidably mounted in a track 23 carried by the slanted top of the housing 20. The regulator 22 is provided with an opening 24 of a contour simulating the contour of the opening 21. The outer end of the regulator is bent upwardly at right angles to provide a finger abutment 25. Pending downwardly from the inner wall of the slanted roof of said housing 20 is a concavo-convex plate 26 which acts as a fire shield. The side edges of the shield, as illustrated to advantage in FIG. 4, are spaced from the opposite sides of the housing 20 and the bottom of the shield terminates at a point remote from the bottom of the housing 20. The shield 26 is preferably disposed at an inclination, the lower end slanting toward the body portion 19 of the fuel chamber as shown in FIG. 2. The portion of the housing between the outer closed wall of the latter and the shield 26 constitutes an ignition zone in which a wick carrying hook 27 is mounted. The hook 27 is carried by a rotatable shaft 28, which latter carries scrapers 29 which are operable by a handle 30 formed by extending an end of the shaft 28, which extension is bent at right angles. Movement of the handle 30 will cause the scrapers to be wiped over the opposite sides of the housing 20 to relieve said sides of adhering carbon.

The burner also includes a fire chamber 31 composed of a base 32 which is sleeved on the top of the body portion 19 of the fuel chamber, a horizontal portion of the base, beyond said body portion 19, being provided with a circular series of air openings 33. Depending from said horizontal portion of the base is an air and flame brake 34 which consists of an annulus which extends around the sleeve portion of the base 32 in spaced relation to the latter as shown in FIG. 2. The base 32 supports a circular baflle 35 which has legs 36 depending therefrom, the legs being supported by the horizontal portion of the base 32. The top of the baffle 35 is closed and formed to provide a sump or basin 37 adapted for the reception of alcohol or other priming fluid. The top of the bafile is bent outwardly at right angles to provide a collar 38. Explosion reducer openings 39 are formed in the top of the bafile 35 at the juncture of the collar 38 below the sump or basin portion 37 of the bafile.

The burner further includes an elongated chimney 40, the bottom of which is slidably engaged over the base 32 of the fire chamber. As shown in FIG. 2, the bottom of the chimney 40 is spaced from the outer periphery of the battle 35 and is provided with series of staggered air openings 41 which communicate with the openings in the burner base 32 and the opening in the annulus 34. The top of the chimney carries a fire shield 42 supported by a rod 43 which is slidably mounted in a complemental guide 44 which pends from a cross bar 45 on the top of the chimney. The rod 43 carries a bayonet lug 46 which engages the top of the bar 45 when the shield 42 is in an open position, as shown in FIG. 2. The shield may be closed by rotation until the lug 46 enters a complemental slot and groove in the bar 45 and guide 44 respectively.

A fuel tank protector plate 47 is mounted on one side of the cradle 12 between the fuel tank 13 and burner 16. The plate, as shown in FIG. 1, is spaced from the tank to permit the passage of air around the tank and into the burner as more fully hereinafter described.

In use of this burner the priming fluid in the sump or basin 37 is ignited after removal of the chimney 40 from the burner base. The chimney is then replaced with the fire shield and control 42 secured in an open position, as shown in FIG. 2. The priming fluid impregnated wick on the hook 27 is lighted and as the flame burns it is choked gradually by the slide regulator 22. The flame from the wick heats the area in the fuel chamber 17, above kerosene or other fuel used, which causes the gases to rise to the fire chamber 31 where they mix with air admitted through the openings 33 causing explosions in the chamber 31. The air entering the fire chamber through the openings 21, 33 and 41 forces the ignited gases to revolve with a resultant turbulence and successive explosions which insure complete burning of the gases. Not only does this result in greater fuel economy but also increases the B.t.u. output with a complete absence of noxious or toxic gases. In addition the air circulatory system here employed is effective in keeping air circulation around the fuel tank and between the latter and the tank protector plate 47. The over-all weight of a typical heater, as herein shown and described, is fifty-five pounds making it readily movable when set up. However, as shown in the drawings, the chimney 40 and baffle 35 may be quickly disassembled for convenience in transportation.

Various changes may be made in the invention within the scope of the claims hereto appended.

What is claimed is:

1. A portable liquid fuel heater comprising a base for mounting on a horizontal support, a fuel tank on the base in spaced relation to the bottom of the latter, and a burner structure mounted on the base in spaced relation to the fuel tank and in communication with the latter, a protector plate between the fuel tank and burner structure to shield the fuel tank from the heat of the burner, the burner including a fuel chamber, a fire chamber, with air openings, a chimney mounted on the fuel chamber and communicating with the latter, an inverted cup baffie, with explosion reducer openings, mounted centrally Within the fire chamber, the top of the ba-fiie being formed to provide a sump for priming fluid, the fuel chamber including a cylindrical portion and an elongated housing communicating therewith, the roof of the housing slanting downwardly away from the cylindrical fuel-receiving portion of the housing, a concave-convex shield depending from the roof of the fuel chamber, the shield being slightly spaced from the sidewalls of the elongated chamber, a Wick supporting member suspended beneath an air inlet opening in the roof, through which opening the wick may be ignited, and a closure movably mounted on the roof for closing the opening in whole or in part.

2. The portable liquid heater of claim 1 with the addition of a closure structure on the open top of the chimney, the closure structure including means for holding the closure in an open position.

3. The portable liquid heater of claim 1 wherein the concave-convex shield depends from the roof at a slant toward the cylindrical portion of the fuel receiving chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,082,101 Silk Dec. 23, 1913 1,108,471 Peter Aug. 25, 1914 1,321,975 Briscoe Nov. 18, 1919 1,944,593 Chadwick et a1. Jan. 23, 1934 2,050,760 Mahlstedt Aug. 11, 1936 2,674,239 Lundberg Apr. 6, 1954 

